Your baby this week22 weeks pregnant

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Be budget-wise, baby

How can you make every dollar count as you're planning the nursery and preparing for your baby's arrival?

Many first time parents suffer from "sticker shock" when they begin registering for baby gifts and purchasing the needed baby accessories. It's natural to desire all of the latest gadgets and adorable clothes, but it adds up quickly.

Fundus fun

Your fundal height is the measurement from the pubic bone (symphysis pubis) to the top of the uterus (fundus). After about the 20th week of pregnancy, the fundal height -- measured in centimeters -- is approximately equal to the number of weeks along that you are. For example, at 22 weeks, your caregiver would expect to find your belly measuring 22 centimeters in height. Slight variations are normal, while profound variances may signal a problem… or the presence of more than one baby!

You get a 'round

As your uterus gets heavier with its cargo of baby, placenta and amniotic fluid, it’s not uncommon for you to have a few growing pains! This can start at about week 20 or so, and will likely last you through delivery.

The most common culprit is the round ligament — the fibrous tissue holding the uterus in place. When these ligaments stretch too far for comfort, you will feel sharp pains to either side of the abdomen, which feel a lot like a muscle spasm or a ‘Charley horse.’ They usually go away after a few minutes. The best way to get through them is to take some deep breaths and lie down if you can, in order to take as much strain off your belly as possible.

Pregnancy fashion

Regardless of how much or how little you spend on your pregnancy wardrobe, the one area where you probably shouldn't skimp is in your undergarments. While some stores can go overboard in trying to convince you of what you need, still, there are some basic undergarments that can make an important difference in not only how you look, but also how you feel.

Colette Bouchez, author of Your Perfectly Pampered Pregnancy (Doubleday/Broadway Books), among the most important is a well-made pregnancy bra. "Depending on how quickly your breasts enlarge, you may have to change sizes or even styles more than once during your pregnancy, so it's not necessary to buy a lingerie wardrobe right from the start," says Bouchez.